Lamp hanger



" A. J. THOMPSON LAMP HANGER 3 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed oct.

Nov. 13, 1923.

A. J. THOMPSON LAMP HANGER Filed 0G11. 3l', 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f A. J. THOMPSON Nov. 13

LAMP HANGER Filed Oct. 3l, 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fatented Nov. 13?, '1923.

nire sra'rs ALLISON J. THOMPSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

LAIVIP HANGER.

Application led October 31, 1919. Serial No. 334,S97.

.To ZZ atv/1,0m if 07mg/ concern.'

Be it known that I, ALLisoN J. TiroiuiL son, a citizen or' the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county oi' Cuyahoga and State o't Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Lamp Hangers, et which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to lamp hangers and particularly to that class ot such devices Vwhich are of the separable type, to wit, the

one in which the lower member carrying the lamp is lowered i'or the purpose ot' replacement and cleaning of the lamp. .)ne important feature ot the present invention is the improved arrangement of individually yielding and floating contacts and supports theretor'carried by the main hang er member andadapted tor co-operation with contacts carried by the lower hanger member. 4Another feature of the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of the hanger base which forms a part of the lower hanger member and affords convenient support for the lower contracts and also for the lamp. A further feature of the invention is an improved latching mechanism arranged in a manner such that the members are tirmly held in position with respect to each other and lost motion between the parts, when assembled, is avoided.

rlhe invention also relates to other l'eatures which will more `fully and in detail appear from the following description, drawings and claims.

1n the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view'of the hanger; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view, ot' the lamp hanger member; F ig. 3 is a sectional view through the center of the device taken at 90O of the view shown in F ig. 1; Fig. `tis a section upon the line -ll, Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is asection upon the line 5 5, Fig. 3.

flu the arrangement shown, l represents a suitable support` which in one construction is in the torni ol a sheave housing provided with a. throat portion t2 for the entry ot a rope 3, aY sheavc l: mounted upon a pin 5 anda suitable flange (i adapted to be secured to the main hanger member, as will appear. This sheavesupport may be utilized or any other preferred form of support may be employed, the only object of 'any support in this instance being to provide a means for supporting the main hanger member.

The main hanger ,member comprises a canopy-ger housing T having a lower open end Vpose to he dos with 'flared sides, as shown. rl`his canopy or housing is provided, as shown in F ig. ll, with hollow tubular extensions S for the incoming wires. Suitable insulators 9`may be ar ranged in these extensions. One ott these insulators is shown in F ig. 1. The canopy is provided with an upper pad 10 for engagement with the tlange (i and held thereagainst in a manner which will later appeal'. Engaging the upper surface of the inside of the canopy `or housing is a guide tube flange comprising an ear 11 and two opposed ears 12 and 13, these ears being provided with openings it`or receiving screws 1-'l which pass through the ears, through the housing, and engage in the flange (i ot' the support. These screws serve to assemble the guide tube flange, the housing and the support. Integral with the flange 11 and extending downwardly in substantially the center oi' the housing isa guide tube 15 having a beveled edge lt common to this class oit apparatus. The side et the g'uide tube 15 between the ears 12 and 13 is provided with a slot 17 extending' the full length and opening out through the upper part of the cam edge 1G, as shown. Extending laterally from the tube and on the sides of the slot 1T are a pair of latch brackets 1S each provided with. a notch forming a stop edge 19 and an opening tor the reception of a latch pin 2t). Loosely mounted upon this pin Q0 is a latch 21 provided with a latching nose 22 and a stop pin 23 adapted to engage the shoulders 1.9 and limit the outward movement ot the latch. The latch isvso constructtal and so arranged upon the pin 2O that it tends to swing into the slot 17 when the stop pin is in any position and even in a position in engagement with the shoulders 19 by reason ot the greater 1n oit the latch being to the right ot the pivot 2O as is clearly seen :trom Fig. l. lhe guide tube l5 is provided on its inner wall with auuularribs Il and 25 above, and below the latch.. as shown, and tor a pur bed.

The toregoing description relates entirely to the mechanica-l construction olf the main hanger member and the main hanger 4membei' contact apparatus will now be described.

On either side of the guide tube there is a complete contact mechanism and the description oi' `one of these will suliice tor both. Each contact mechanism comprises a Contact housing 2G o1c substantially the torni shown in cross section in Fig. et, and open'.

which pass up through the cont-act housing and are secured in the upper part oif' the canopy or housing. These lwebs 2T 'torni stops for the contact and are adapted to be engaged b v oppositelj,7 disposed ears or projections Q9 formed on the sides oit the insulatorcontact members 80. Each ot these insulator` contact members is provided with a centrally disposed opening li'or a spring 3T and with a reduced openii'ie. 39. shown in Fi( 3. adapte-d to receive the head of a` contact :rew 33 which passes down through the bottom ot the insulator contact member. il shoulder 34- is ohvioushv formed near the bottom o'tb the insulator contact members and this shoulder is adapted to receive an insulator disc 35 and above it a inetallic disc 3G. Engaging this disc 36 is :x spring` 3T which thrusts against the underside ol' the top ot the canopyvv or housingv and is centered bv a suitable bossi-lh provided at this point. The space below the insulatordisc and about they head olf the. contact screw is filled with plastic insulating uraterial. Engaging' the contact screw lil is a Contact sleeve 39 threaded onto the screw and adapted to serve as a binder tor one ot the leads or incoming wire terminal a0, the wire being` held between the sleeve and the insulator contact member. Suitable vas-hers 411 and 49 may be provided at this point-7 it desired. The contact sleeve 39 provided with a contact head e?) having` an internal conical Contact surface l@ therein. lt will be seen :trom the 'foregoingdescription that the contacts themselves are directl'iv connected to the incoming leads7 that they arel individually yieldingly mounted and that the cont-act heads prese-nt the saine rontacting surface iriespecti'.'e oit their position when the leads are fastened in place. It will further he. seen that the individual yielding' 'feature oit the main hanger meniher contacts will insure unitorm bearinshjv ot the contacts irrespective oit the position ot the other cont-act members to be described.

The lamp hanger member comprises a latch ste-1n and a base and these parts will now be described.V Secured to the end ofthe rope 3 is a latch stein l5 contracted as its upper end, to wit at 4.46 and provided with an opening 47 tor receivii'ig the rope, a knot 'formed on. the end ol the rope serving to provide a securing;V n'ieans. rThis, stein is ol a suitable length, and is of a. size in outside dimension, so that it may slide freely within. the annular. ribs 241; andY Q5. It is provided at its lower end with an enlargement 1:8 providing a *cavity for the knot of the rope 3*. This enlargement is externally threaded and has a Vshaped longitudinallv VeXteraling groove llcutting the threads tor lern-5,713

a purpose which will appear. rlhis latch stem is provided upon one ot its sides andV at. a point opposed to the recess 49 with a laterall): extendinglatch throwing iin 50 having a horizontalhVT disposed shoulder fil adapted to engage the under part of lthe latch 2l and move the same in a counter clockwise direction` as shown in Fig'. l. This tin is also provided with a web 52 inclnnng toward the tube but cut away at a` greater angle to torni the latch `and starts it moving outwardV before the shoulder 5l reaches the latch. As shown in Fig. l, the tendency ot the latch is to torce the latch stem, by somewhatl ot a toggle action against then-ibs 2l, 25 when tension upon the rope isrrelieved. The latch stein when in supporting position extends into a` suitable opening 5l in the canopy or housing and this opening` communicates with the opening Yin the support or sheave housing.

The hanger base` already referred toconiprises a hollow hubl 55 threaded inteirinillir to receive the enlargement i8 and provided with a boss 56, Fig. l, `for receiving a thiunb screw 3T adapted to engage in the recess a9 ,tor positioning the hanger base and holdinp; tho same in place.

The hollow hub converges and terminates at its lower. endl ina `threaded nigple 5S to which.' the lamp is secured. Thenhub 55- is further provided with opposed lead canopies 59. Gti which protect lead openings Gl and (52 respectively, extending through. the hub, as shown in Fig. l. These ope-nin are tor the lamp leads, not shown.` Y

Extending' laterally 'from the hub ot the. hanger base are supporting eyes 6o and (il each ot which supports a lower contact and since these contacts are identical in forni a description ot one will suffice 'tor both.

Each ot these lower contacts consists ot two similarinsulators 65 and 66, each having a reduced portion 67 adapted to tit loosely in the olneningol the eye, a suitabh.` layer 68 ot yielding insulating material beA ing' arranged between the reduced portion 6T oit the insulat loth of the insulators and GG are provided with centrally disposed openings tor the reception of the contact shank 69, each of which is provided at its upper end with a Contact cone 70 and atits lower end with threads for receiv-ingwa securing nut 71, a washer 72 being interposed between the nut and the insulator. A suitable binding nut 73 and washers 74 'are provided" on each shank' Wherebytlielamp and limiting the upward*movement of the lamp hanger member.

The hanger `base is assembled in its entirety, to wit, the lamp is secured to the nipple 58, the leads are led out through the openings 61 and (32 and secured in place to the contacts j ust described. This part of the mechanism is then secured onto the enlarge ment 4S and the thumb nut 5T is set in the groove 49, when the hanger base will be positioned properly with respect to the latch stem which will be a position with the op` posed contacts of this member in a plane at right angles to the latch throwing tin and the supporting lug 54 and this will bring about proper alignment of the upper andV lower contacts. It is obvious that the hanger base and the lamp may be removed from the latch stem and taken to any suitable place for cleaning without removal of the rope or without necessitating` the cleaning of the lamp at the point where the entire hanger is located or disturbing any electrical connections.V

In operation, assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l and that there is no tension upon the rope 3, the opcrator pulls upon the rope sutliciently to cause the raising ot the latch stem with the result that the latch releasingtin is moved upward when the shoulder 5l will engage under the latch andV throw it in a counterclockwise direction, thereby releasing it from the supporting lug 54C. A quick re lease of the rope will then permit the en` tire lamp hanger member to'move downwardly to any desired point. At this time the hanger base may be removed, as already described, and talren to a suitable place for cleaning. Then it restored in placcupon the latch stem the operator may then pull upon the rope until the lug 5e passes above the latch. ,AY slow release of the rope will then cause the lamp to be supported in proper position with the contacts in engagement and with the several parts held rigidly against lost motion.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a lamp hanger, a main hanger mem` ber, a lamp hanger member. guiding mechanism for said members, latching mechanism, fixed contacts carried by the lamp hanger member, individual iioating yielding contact structuresV carried by the main hanger member and co-operating with the fixed contacts ot the lamp hanger member, cach ot said structures comprising a contact hous ing, a contactinsulator having universal movement.V therein, means for forcingl said insulator yieldingly downwardly, and a contact carried by said insulator.

2. ln a lamp hanger, a main hanger member, a lamp hanger member, guiding 1necha nism for said members, latching mechanism, fixed contacts carried by the lamp hanger member, individual floating yielding contact structures carried by the main hanger member and co-operating with the iXed contacts of the lamp hanger member, each ot said structures comprising a contact housing, a contact insulator having universal movement therein, means for forcing said insulator yieldingly downwardly, and a contact carried by said insulator, said contact having a conical opening at its lower end.

ln a lamp hanger, a main hanger member, a lamp hanger member, guiding mechanism lor said members, latching` mechanism, conical iixed contacts carried by the lamp hanger member, individual tloatiim` yielding contact structures carried by the main hanger member and coppe/rating with the conical fixed contacts or' the lamp hanger member, each of said structures comprising a contact housing, a contact insulator having vertical and lateral movement therein, means tor 'forcing said insulator yieldingly downwardly, and a contact carried by said insulator, said contact having a conical opening at its lower end.

et. In a lamp hanger, a main hanger member. a Iguide tube carried thereby and having a bearing surface. a lamp hanger member, a latch stem therefor having a co-extensive bearing surface. a supporting lun' carried by saidlatch stem opposed to said bearing surface and having its supporting part within the length ot' the same, and a pivotcd latch supported and arranged to force said latch stein uniformly against the bearing surface o't the guide tube and approach the horizontal when in full latchcd position and thereby prevent movement ot said latch stem in the guide tube when the parts are assembled` ln a lamp hanger, a main hengcrniembei', a lamp hanger member. a main hanger member guide lube havingr an open ended slot in its side` a latch. stem on said lamp .hanger member` a supporting' lug carried thereby and forming a shoulder adjacent to thc stem` said lug beingl adapted to pass into said slot and a latch pivotally supported in said main hanger member and passing through the slot of the guide tube and engaging` the latch stem below the supporting lug so as to cause binding engagement of the stem against the tube.

6. ln a lamp hanger, a main hanger member, a lamp hanger member, a main hanger member guide tube haring an open ended slot in its side, a latch Stemrasupporting lug` carried therebj,7 and torminga shoulder atljacent to the stem, said lugbeing'adal'ited to pass into said slot, a latchV pirotally supiber, a guide tube to be carried thereblatclr me* mechanism. a lamp hanger member, inter-engaine` contacts carried by the main and lamp hanger members` said lamp hanger member comprising` a latch. stem tor co- Loperation with said tube, and a hanger base removably Secured to the latch stem` said base being provided with canopied lead openings and a nipple tor attachment ot a lamp.

8. In a lamp hanger, a main hanger member, a guide tube carried thereby', a latch stem1 latehinn mechanism pivotallj7 supported in the main hanger member, means for .positioning the latch stem with respect to latch stem, a l meer base having an eng'ag( ing portion adapted ttor co-operation therewith, contacts carried by Said main hanger member and by lsaid hanger base, andmeans provided on said hanger base and the Supportinfe` portion therefor for positioning the contacts otthe lamp hanger member With respect tothe Vcontacts ot the main hangerv member. Y V

Sl. ln. a lamp hanger, a main hanger member, a lamp hanger member, a main hanger member guide tube having;` an open ended slot in its side, a latch stem, a supporting' lng` carried thereby, a latch pivotally Supported in the main hanger Vmember and pass-V ine' into the slot in the guide .tube and engaging' the latch VStem belonv the supportingr lug', a latch throwing lin projecting' Jfrom the latch stem below said lue; and an in# clined web between the latch throwing I'in and supportingY lug for controlling; the in- -ard. movement ot the latch;

In testimom7 whereof I Vatlix my signature.

ALLISON J. THOMPSON. 

